House Brighton of Gideon
House Brighton were the founding monarchs of Gideon and ruled over the country for three centuries until their demise in 324 AF. The house was founded across the Lichen Waste. ---- History Alek Brighton A knight in the service of King Denisof in the old nation, Alek Brighton was ordered to flee by the dying king after the king's only son and heir summoned an ancient dry lich to his birthday celebration, sacrificing the attendants to gain favor for a dark ritual. Alek Brighton took three hedge knights named Terminus, Byron, and Drake along with a random assortment of 64 servants, mages, priests, and other commonfolk across the necromancy cursed Lichen Waste. They faced many perils, but the group made it to the other side of the desert without taking one casualty. The members of the group loved and revered Alek, crediting his leadership and selfless actions for their success. Alek says he was guided by visions of a radiant dragon. After landing in the verdant hill land beyond the Holderheck Mountains, the group set up a small keep on a hill they called Dawn's Edge. The keep, having been expanded on over the years, remains the capital of Gideon to this day. Erik Brighton Called "Erik the Explorer", Erik Brighton was born in the fourth generation of the Brighton line. The verdant hill lands of Gideon had been very generous to the human's of the region, the five holdfasts that were set up at the point were all tearing at the seems with a population boom. As such, Erik toured his country for ten years bathing in its beauty and looking for sites to set up other holdfasts. The three principal locations that were set up under this were the Seavault, Gray Haven, and the Winward Isles. There was also a number of other smaller holdfasts set up as well, including vinyards, seaside outposts, and other areas where Erik spent a number of years enjoying. This event is known as "Erik's Expansion". Alek Brighton II Erik's great nephew, Alek Brighton the Second, was a noble leader who was said to invoke his namesake. As a prince, the boy was fascinated with the religion of Pelor, often visiting local farms to bask in his glory. His favorite activity was said to be riding throughout the local countryside. Alek would often get into trouble, within the bounds of reason, due to unquenshable thirst for adventure. He adopted his own personal colors of mithril white and verdant green. He loved adventure and riding so much, that he even learned to ride griffons that roosted in the forests south of the capital. After ascending to the throne, Alek II grew more mature and took the stance that Gideon needs to go back to its chivalrous roots. He built the tenth large holdfast in the hilllands he played in as a child, known as Summerhill, to establish a training grounds for a new order of knights to protect the country that he called the Knights of Summer. Alek put his childhood best friend and castillian from House Sorenson in charge of ruling the land and assisting in the endeavor. During his old age, Alek was said to be found more at this site than the actual capital, enjoying the lush countryside. The order of knights lives on today as part of his legacy. Alarik the Pink The last of the Brighton's, Alarik was the younger son who unexpectedly took over the monarchy after his older brother died. He was flamboyant, lazy ,weak willed, and was often accused of being a homosexual. He was tricked into marrying a cousin from House LeMort and bearing only female offspring. After agreeing to have his second in command Dannis LeMort marry his sister and take over the family line, Alarik was quickly murdered by the Black Dragon. Ava Brighton The last actual living member of House Brighton, married to the Black Dragon. She was frequently brutalized by her husband and only kept alive for him to maintain control of the Brighton regency. After he believed his power to be absolute, he brutally murdered her two sisters, and then her as well. Succession Unfortunately, the events of the Great War left no Brighton heir. The line was extinguished. The Lords of Gideon consulted the Midvale Mage Council who decided after some study that House Valmont had the best claim to the throne through a distant cousin of Brighton's in their lineage. House Valmont was a newer house so this caused some discontent among the older houses such as Byron and Drake. None the less they were crowned King and have remained so ever since. They renamed their former hold fast "Brighton" in Alek's memory. ---- Ancestral Heirloom The ancestral heirlook of House Brighton is a longsword that shares the same name with the capital. Dawn's Edge had a sun orange blade with a darker orange and brick red hilt of intertwined metal and a large ruby in the center. The sword is extremely powerful and remains under guard at the courtyard in the capital.